Lego Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 42093

 The other half has been saying I need to try the Technic's kits but I have been resisting as all those tiny little gears and cogs were putting me off.  Why? Why did I let that put me off?

This was a really fun build although the fact that it comes with a plethora of bags (okay i think it was 4) that are not numbered so you need to open them all before you start the build.  My table was covered in pieces because I have to lay everything out in colour and piece order.  Yes, it makes building easier for me but it also looks kind of pretty on the table.  No joke, half an hour of the build time was just me sorting pieces before I even opened the booklet.

I'm not sure how close the finished product is to a genuine Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 but it looks great on my shelf which could just be due to the colour as the orange is really bright.  I was going to break it down and download the Hot Rod instructions but I didn't have the heart once it was finished.  May buy a second version of the kit just to do the Hot Rod but we shall see.

Number Of Pieces: 579

Approximate Price Per Piece: £0.07

Build Time: 3 Hours 10 Minutes

 

 

Lego Creator Roller Coaster 10261

 Bit of a step up from my usual kits but as soon as I saw this it lodged in my brain and kept niggling at me.  Did a bit of maths and decided that seeing as there was not going to be a holiday this year or even a weekend getaway I could take the plunge and purchase this huge set.  Yes, it IS expensive but it is definitely worth every penny; never mind the actual pieces and the build instruction booklets the engineering and design that have gone in to this are incredible.

The mistake I made with this was attempting to construct it over only two days.  I did manage to complete it but I will readily admit I was exhausted at the end of each build session.  There is a lot of repetitive building of the support struts but I didn't find it boring in the slightest, the only problem for me was my finger tips became sore from pushing all the blocks together.  Well worth it because the completed structure is really sturdy and it needs to be because you need to use some force to attach the red tracks as they have a tendency to want to spring back as you attach them.

When I first ran the Coaster it pulled to the top of the lift hill just fine but when it got to the top the bumper was running anti-clockwise so it was trying to push it back down.  On removing the bumper I disassembled and carefully rebuilt from the instructions in Booklet 1 and it still happened.  After 90 minutes of frustration trying to figure out what went wrong I searched online for the problem and came across someone who had the same problem but had figured out the diagrams for the three bumpers had one of the cogs in the wrong place.  I removed each of the bumpers and rebuilt with the amended cog position and lo and behold it worked.  So you can add another 2 Hours to my posted build time.  

Still not marking it down though as I am genuinely impressed with the overall build.  It just fits on a shelf in my living room and I can actually run it from it's new location.  Including moving the second train on to the tracks - I was thrilled by the sliding mechanism for this as it does replicate genuine roller coasters train switching systems.

Number Of Pieces: 4124

Approximate Price Per Piece: £0.07

Build Time: 16.5 Hours

 

Lego Hogwarts Clock Tower 75948

 Lots of fun details in this kit that is definitely based around the Yule Ball that takes place in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.  The little tables with the icicle detailing are so cute looking and the first thing you build so it gives you hope for the set being highly detailed and kind of sweet.  The next part of the build is building a dance floor and it is built from interconnecting cogs that mean as you move one the full set of 4 move as does the dancefloor so it gives the effect of the minifigures waltzing around.  Throw in the detailing of the Prefect's Bathroom and the running taps and even if the rest of it was a cop out on the detailing it would still be a good buy.  This is Lego though so there is definitely no copping out going on.

This was a really fun build and I took my time with it to draw out the set a little so lots of little breaks to sit back and gloat over my build.  The build time I posted is the actual time spent building and not including all my little breaks which pushed it to over 5 Hours.

Links really well with the other sets and has a high amount of play value.

Number of Pieces: 922

Approximate Price Per Piece: £0.09

Build Time: 3.25 Hours

 

Lego Hedwig 75979

 This is a relatively complicated build.  You start by building the gear mechanism that moves Hedwig's wings on the stand.  To be honest this went together much more smoothly than I anticipated, admittedly I checked that the gears worked correctly each and every step of the way so that I would hopefully not have any problems when the build was completed.  I am pleased to say that I didn't, the wings move quite well but the operation isn't particularly smooth.

Making and attaching the feathers is also quite fiddly as there are so many tiny pieces involved.  Definitely one you need to build on a table top rather than cross legged on the floor.  Well worth all the work that goes in to it though, not really a lot of play value but it looks fantastic on my shelf.

Number Of Pieces: 630

Approximate Price Per Piece: £0.06

Build Time: 2.5 Hours

 

Lego Hogwarts Whomping Willow 75953

 There were two reasons I decided to purchase this kit; partly for the fact it links to the Great Hall but mainly for the Ford Anglia.  I was not disappointed at all, the detail on the Ford Anglia is wonderfully done and I was really happy with how it looked when it was built.  The Whomping Willow looks incredible when built but getting the green leaf pieces to stay in place when you rotate it can be a bit of a chore, you need to really push them in VERY firmly and then cross your fingers.

Once you have the car and tree built you then move on to what I can only describe as the ramparts.  To say this is primarily a linking kit there is a lot of details in the set.  The main tower which forms the owlery is a real pain to attach and it took me several goes and still I couldn't do much more than balance it on.  It wasn't until I built another kit that I figured out how to snap the pieces together so it is now secure instead of just balancing on top precariously.

Number Of Pieces: 753

Approximate Price Per Piece: £0.08

Build Time:
Car and Whomping Willow - 1 Hour
Ramparts - 13/4 Hours

 

Lego Hogwarts' Astronomy Tower 75969

 There is a lot going on in this set which makes for a lot of play value.  I think my favourite bit is the little greenhouse with the Mandrakes in their pots - okay, so the other half didn't appreciate me pulling them out and screaming each time but I was playing!

Comes with a lot of little rooms which I didn't really expect.  You get Professor Slughorn's office and the Ravenclaw Dormitory along with one room for the Orrery and one for the telescope.  They are all small but you can get at least one mini figure in each along with their furnishings.  There is a central hall portion with some cute shelves but the best bit is the little table with the chocolate fountain the middle.

The build takes time but the instructions are clear, detailed and really are step by step so it feels relatively simple to construct.  It is a little bit fragile like all large Lego buildings and you have to exercise some caution when playing.  If you are going to leave it built up for game play it may be worth gluing it together but it is sturdy enough for a display shelf without that or for delicate play.

Number Of Pieces: 971

Approximate Price Per Piece: £0.09

Build Time: 3.5 Hours

 

Lego Beaubatons' Carriage:Arrival At Hogwarts 75958

 Although the carriage only appears briefly in the film Goblet Of Fire it is a pretty iconic image and when I saw this kit I really had to have it.  I was not disappointed at all when I started to build, it is quite intricate and fiddly but I really enjoyed every second of this build.  There is a really clever use of colour on the bricks and the included decal sheet just helps to lift the overall look.

Even better the side of the carriage lifts up and clips open to create a playset over two levels.  The included minifigures of Fleur and her sister fit well and can be enclosed in the carriage when the sides are closed.  Lots of play value with this one and it looks the part if you just want to add it to a display.  

The horses are only partially articulated but they can be posed enough to make them look like they are landing or taking off.

Number Of Pieces: 430

Approximate Price Per Piece: £0.10

Build Time: 1.5 Hours

 

Lego Batman:Pursuit Of The Joker 76119

 This is one of the smallest Lego kits I have built and I am really glad I didn't pick this as my first build as it would likely have put me off.  I found this a really tough kit to build, because it is necessarily in black the build images can be quite difficult to decipher as black on black is not a good look except in fashion.  I spent a lot of time removing sections as I had put them in the wrong spot.  Definitely challenging.

The look of it once completed definitely makes it worth persevering with and I am glad I did.  The movement action is really smooth and I will readily admit to spending time just running it up and down my table after building with a daft grin on my face.  Loved the action of Joker's "gun" to fire the little dot projectiles; they do go a long way though so be prepared to spend a lot of time scouring the floor to find them.

Number Of Pieces: 342

Approximate Price Per Piece: £0.07

Build Time: 1.5 Hours

 

Lego Hagrid's Hut: Buckbeak's Rescue 75947

 First off lets talk about the Light Brick.  I had no idea what this was prior to purchasing this kit, turns out it is what it says, it is a clear brick with an LED bulb inside that is triggered by a switch mechanism.  In the case of this kit it creates a light up effect in the fireplace so it looks like Norbert's unhatched egg is being warmed by the fire.  We slid it on to a middle shelf that is quite dark and it does give quite a reasonable amount of illumination.

The build is a little fiddly as there is a lot going on in each half of the hut but nothing too onerous.  It was still a lot of fun to build.  My favourite bit is actually Buckbeak chained in the Pumpkin Patch, it is not the most elaborate bit of the build but it is perhaps my favourite because it just looks so good.  Buckbeak is partially articulated so you can help him fly away.

The hut itself is locked in an open format.  This is the only downside, I would have loved it if it swivelled together and then you opened it up but as the sides are not equal in dimensions it would need a major re-engineer to achieve this.

Number Of Pieces: 496

Approximate Price Per Piece: £0.10

Build Time: 2 Hours

 

 

Lego Hogwarts Great Hall 75954

 This is a really good playset and lots of options to play and place your included figures.  With everything from a tiny dormitory to a moving staircase there is more than just the Dining Hall included in the set and it gives you a lot of play value once built.  I have to admit the included basilisk is really fun and we have found ourselves randomly attacking each other with it for no other reason than it is funny.

Okay, the build itself is the important bit for me and this was one of the more complicated builds I have taken on.  By following the printed instructions it is actually much easier than I thought it would be.  The images are clear and with the bricks being pre-sorted in to bags it makes it a joy to build.  The fact it is split in to bags also gives you natural break points but I will admit I just built this in one gleeful sitting.  The only real problem is how addictive this is and it has led me down a rabbit hole of kits that link with this one.

Number Of Pieces: 878

Approximate Price Per Piece: £0.10

Build Time: 3 Hours